Wednesday, I visited the Marion County Historical Museum to check out the setup for the new exhibit that is coming soon and looking at the train tracks took me back to my younger years.
My paternal grandparents lived one block from a large train yard. I think that caused my cousin, Scott, who lived in the house behind them to fall in love with trains. My family would visit with my grandparents and my brother and I would head next door to hang out with him, because he was age-wise between my brother and me.
In the basement of Scott’s house was an elaborate train set. Every time we would visit it would be different or something else added to it. He would construct mountains, hills and tunnels for the train to travel. There would be houses, buildings, trees, even power lines.
That took a lot of time to create such a display. The thing is Scott didn't create his train masterpiece to show anyone, it was something that he just thoroughly enjoyed creating.
In today's world projects such as this have become a lost art. The younger generations are not interested in hobbies such as trains and models or whatever. All they want are their electronic devices.
They are missing out on so much. Creativity and hobbies are things to be cherished. Get real people, hobbies are not making Tik Tok videos or hanging out with friends, but working to create something for no other reason than because it is something you love to do.
How did arts, crafts and hobbies go by the wayside? Why have we allowed ourselves to turn from things we enjoyed to becoming zombies to the various electronic devices? This is so sad and if I am truthful, I am guilty of this myself.
I love to paint. I do not have talent, but I love to do it and would love to get better at it. However, I will never get better if I don't actually do it. Instead, I find excuse after excuse as to why I can't.
I would love to do crafts. Sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilting and making wreaths, I would love to do it all. Unfortunately, I do not know how to do any of them. Sad part is, they are all part of dying crafts falling by the wayside, because people are more interested in Candy Crush or some other game than to actually work with their hands to create something.
A problem that I too need to address in my life, I do not have the answer. I bet though all of us, young and old, would feel better if we created something with our hands instead of just sitting there allowing technology to consume our brains.
I wonder if all of us could start making it a point to bring back arts, crafts and hobbies. We need to encourage creativity and use our hands for more than electronics.
For me, I am the absolute worst at giving up. I'll try something and if I do not think what I am doing is good, I'll quit; an area I need to work to change.
I grew up in an area that every year had the Glade Valley Community Show. Basically, it was like what you see at fairs where people would enter their arts and crafts, there would be judges there. I wonder if the younger generations would be willing learn how to carry on the traditions of the crafts and be willing to show them off especially if they receive awards and realize creating things is fun.
A community show, I think would be a great idea for Marion County to encourage arts, crafts, baking, gardening and so much more. Maybe it would ignite the love of handmade crafts and hobbies in the new generations.
It is time to bring back the love for working with our hands to create something truly beautiful. -
Susan Amundson is news/features editor of The Columbian-Progress. She may be reached at (601) 736-2611 or
samundson@columbianprogress.com.
